[2025 Saitama Attraction] Travel Guide for Musashi Ichinomiya Hikawa Jinja (Updated Mar)

#DomesticTravelStrategy Musashi Ichinomiya Hikawa Shrine, located in Omiya, Saitama Prefecture, is the head shrine of the approximately 280 Hikawa Shrines throughout the Kanto region. With a history of over 2000 years, it is a popular shrine known for its benefits in matchmaking and warding off evil. Here are some tips to avoid the crowds, visit the shrine comfortably, and enjoy the sights to the fullest! 📍 Basic Information • Address: 1-407 Takahana-cho, Omiya-ku, Saitama City, Saitama Prefecture • Visiting hours: 6:00-17:00 (varies depending on the season) • Prayer reception: 9:00-16:00 • Access: • About 15 minutes on foot from the East Exit of JR Omiya Station • About 10 minutes on foot from Kita-Omiya Station on the Tobu Urban Park Line • Parking: Approximately 300 cars (free) 🔥 Tips & Sights 🔹 1. Visit first thing in the morning to avoid the crowds! • It gets especially crowded on weekends and holidays, so it's best to visit between 8:00 and 9:00! • Be aware that it gets crowded even in the early mornings during New Year's and Shichigosan seasons. 🔹 2. Check out the highlights! 🌲 Second Torii Gate and Approach • The long 2km approach is the longest in the Kanto region! • Just walking along the approach lined with zelkova and pine trees will leave you feeling refreshed✨ ⛩️ Tower Gate • A beautiful bright vermilion gate that is the symbol of Hikawa Shrine. • It's also a popular photo spot! 🏛️ Hall of Worship • Be sure to visit the hall of worship, which retains the atmosphere of the Edo period. • It's crowded with people praying for love, protection from evil, and safety in the home. 💖 Kamiike and Kamibashi • The red Kamibashi bridge over Kamiike near the worship hall is a great spot for Instagram📸 • We also recommend taking a break by the pond. 🕒 3. Recommended route 8:30: Start from the entrance to the approach → Stroll along the quiet morning approach 9:00: Pass through the tower gate and pray at the worship hall → Receive a temple seal 9:30: Stroll around Kamiike and Kamibashi → Photo time 10:00: Enjoy dango and amazake at the teahouse in the temple grounds🍡 10:30: Stroll around Omiya Park and Hikawa approach → Get the famous dango at Hikawa dango shop 🍡 Nearby gourmet food and souvenirs • Hikawa dango shop: A long-established dango shop on the approach. Their specialty is mitarashi dango! • Hikawa Brewery: A popular spot to enjoy craft beer🍺 • Hikawa Sando Cafe: A stylish cafe where you can take a break and enjoy sweets◎ 🛤️ Summary ✅ Visit between 8:00 and 9:00 in the morning to avoid the crowds! ✅ Visit the sights in the order of the approach → tower gate → worship hall → sacred pond ✅ Enjoy gourmet food at Hikawa Dango and Cafe Have a refreshing moment at Musashi Ichinomiya Hikawa Shrine, where history and nature coexist in harmony✨

Transportation From Tokyo: It takes only 30 minutes by train, and the fare is about JPY 490–600. We recommend taking the JR line from Tokyo Station to Saitama-Shintoshin Station. Main Attractions Saitama Super Arena Highlights: Various large-scale events are held here, such as concerts and sports events. The unique architectural style makes it a great place to take photos. Transportation: It can be reached by a 5-minute walk from Saitama-Shintoshin Station. Hikawa Shrine Highlights: A shrine with a history of more than 2,000 years, it is the head shrine of the Kanto region's Hikawa shrines. It is solemn and suitable for praying for blessings. Location: Located in Omiya Ward, Saitama City. Touring: We recommend walking for 13 minutes from Omiya Station to the "Second Torii Gate" and then walking along the Hikawa Sando to the "Third Torii Gate." The Railway Museum Highlights: A paradise for train enthusiasts, it is divided into five stations: vehicles, history, work, science, and the future, and displays stories of people and railways. Tickets: JPY 1,330 per person for on-site purchase, JPY 1,230 per person for advance booking on the official website. Opening hours: 10:00–17:00 (last admission at 16:30), closed on Tuesdays and during the New Year holidays. Transportation: Get off at Tetsudo-Hakubutsukan Station. Osaki Park Highlights: Free admission, there is a water play area, a children's zoo, and a forest adventure castle, making it suitable for family trips. Address: 3156-1 Osaki, Midori Ward, Saitama City, Saitama Prefecture. Transportation: Take the Kokusai Kogyo Bus "Ura 01" or "Ura 02" from JR Urawa Station, get off at "Osaki Botanical Garden," and walk for 3 minutes. Rose Garden Highlights: There are 1,600 varieties of roses, which are colorful and suitable for taking photos and buying rose-themed products. Atami Shopping Street Highlights: A paradise for food and shopping, we recommend trying cheese and octopus fish cakes, fruit-flavored honey, and alfonsino soup. Practical Tips App Recommendations: Google Translate (conversation, photo translation, and map functions), Suica (for convenient subway travel). Accommodation Recommendations: There are various accommodation options near Omiya Station, JR Urawa Station, and Saitama-Shintoshin Station, which are cost-effective. Itinerary: We recommend arranging at least two days to visit the main attractions and enjoy local food.

I wanted to go to Tokyo and originally planned to join a day tour to Karuizawa. That's when I found out about this place called Koedo Kawagoe. I woke up in the morning to a sunny day and set off immediately. I took a train from Tokyo to Ikebukuro, transferred to the Tobu Tojo Line, and arrived in less than an hour. Koedo Kawagoe has a famous shrine, the Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine. You must come here to check in when you arrive in Kawagoe. This shrine is really beautiful. With the good weather, it doesn't look like a shrine at all, but more like a garden. There are many girls in kimonos taking photos here, so not only is the scenery beautiful, but there are also many beautiful women 😊 It is said that this shrine is for seeking marriage. I don't know if it's true or not, but anyway, I came here specifically to take photos.